A headboard is the upright panel or board at the head of a bed, behind where your pillow rests. It stands vertically against the wall and serves both practical and decorative purposes.

Headboards keep your pillow from sliding off the bed and protect the wall from getting marked up or damaged. They also give you something to lean against when you're sitting up in bed reading or doing homework. Some headboards have shelves built in for books or a reading lamp, while others include padding or cushioning for extra comfort.

Headboards come in countless styles: simple wooden boards, ornate carved designs, padded fabric panels, or modern metal frames. Some are attached directly to the bed frame, while others mount to the wall independently. In fancy hotels, you might see elaborate headboards that reach nearly to the ceiling, while in a college dorm room, a headboard might be nothing more than a basic board painted to match the room.